Located
at the Heiter Community Center • 100 North Fifth Street • Lewisburg,
PA 17837

September 2003

Taking the Advice of Experts...
How accurate are e-mail tips for women on staying safe?

CardioKicks!
Fitness Tip
of the Month
Gotta do the weight training for
much, much improved cardio work

by Laura Kamienski

Several versions of a mass e-mail containing “self-defense
tips and advice” have been floating around for a few years now.
As a professional women's self defense instructor I've gotten an increasing
number of them, as well as ones about specific hoaxes such as, dangers
to women from abductions at malls, perfume samples that are really knock-out
drugs, new date rape drugs that also make women sterile, and so on. When
I work with groups I have to spend more time debunking this sort of alarmist
(mis)information. The types scary stories found in these lists of "tips"
are everywhere and seem to be increasing. They address a fear women
share and the effects this fear has on our lives.

Is the ubiquitous mediated image of psychotic strangers jumping out
from nowhere reality? Sometimes yes, like the brutal assault of an elderly
woman in the Lewisburg cemetery some time ago. Such assaults are
horrific! - but they are uncommon. The reason you hear so much about them
is that the media capitalizes on sensational stories. More commonly stranger
attacks begin with testing behaviors. For example, Ted Bundy faked injuries
and asked for help. Jack the Ripper approached prostitutes posing as a customer.
The Boston Strangler finessed his way into victims' homes. With this in
mind the question must be asked what sort of self-defense skills would most
effectively thwart violence?

It follows that a clear picture of the kinds of assaults that happen
and how they happen is where we need to begin. To develop effective safety
strategies we must search beyond statistics. Who is raping? What kinds
of relationships do victims have with assailants? What kinds of exchanges
precede physical violence? Where do assaults happen? What sorts
of defenses have been successful? Answering these questions results
in better decisions about safety and less unwarranted fear.

The mass e-mails in question invariably ignore is the fact that women
are much more likely to be attacked by someone they know, and even love,
than by a stranger. When stranger attacks to happen they are rarely “jump
and grab” scenarios (though these do happen, they are overwhelmed by the
other situations that get much less attention from media or self-defense
teachers). A woman's own home is a much more common location for violence
than a parking lot or a dark alley.

Studies show that women who have successfully defended themselves
invariably used a combination of physical, verbal and psychological strategies.
Women might consider enrolling in a self-defense course, but should ask
questions first. Does the course only offer skills to defend against "jumpers"
or does it also explore emotional dynamics often involved in relationships
between victim and assailant? Does it offer opportunities for role-play
and activities to develop skills to defend against all phases of assault?
Do instructors have necessary training to relate to survivors?

While there are some bits of useful self-defense strategy scattered
throughout these otherwise insulting and inaccurate lists such as, increasing
awareness and using confident posture, these sorts of "STOP", "DON'T,"
"ALWAYS" and "NEVER" commands serve primarily to strengthen myths and perpetuate
a system of victim blaming and survivor self-blame. They imply that women
are incompetent and incapable of making good decisions. They tell us that
if we follow the rules — stay home, travel in packs, dress accordingly —
we'll stay safe and if we don't we're an easy target and when we're attacked
it's because we didn't do what we "should" have done. They either don't address,
or only make mention of, violence against women as it most commonly occurs.
They offer little or no advice and training in developing self-defense
strategies against verbal, psychological and physical intrusions that
almost always precede open aggression (including during the majority of
stranger assaults).

While creating Empower!
Self-defense for Women I took care to account for the reality of violence
against women as it most commonly happens. While Empower! includes learning
physical and awareness skills, we also focus on learning skills to defend
against psychological and emotional manipulation and intimidation. We include
skill-building activities designed to help students recognize and defend
against the intrusions leading up to physical assault. We talk about how
traditional gender roles encourage women being thought of, by both sexes,
as easily targeted victims. We explore the emotional dynamics involved in
the personal relationships between victim and assailant.

Uncovering Hoaxes, Misinformation
and Urban Legends

Check out www.snopes.com
. It is a great resource for verifying information in suspicious
e-mail such as the hoaxes mentioned above as well as e-mail viruses and
urban legends. If you receive and e-mail containing questionable information,
you might want to check it out before forwarding to others.

Resistance / weight training is an extremely important part of any complete
fitness program. Some women worry that they will "bulk up" so they avoid
weight bearing exercises. But the truth is that most women don't have the
levels of testosterone necessary to develop large muscles. But big, beefy
muscles aren't the only benefits of strength training.

Weight-bearing exercise helps develop bone mass, making it a good
way to help prevent or delay osteoporosis. (The sooner you start before
menopause, the better.) What's more, muscle burns about 45 more calories
per pound per day than fat tissue. Resistance training also strengthens
tendons and ligaments which will help keep your body safe during cardio training.

So for best results add a resistance training regiment to your fitness
program. And remember to "make every repetition better than the last
one."

Upcoming Events

The next rank test will be held on October
4th at 2:00 PM

The
next twelve-hour Empower! Self-Defense for Women level one
course is scheduled for September 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th from
2:00 PM through 5:00 PM. Space is limited. Contact
Kicks for details, and to reserve a place in the class.

Cool Link of the Month:

Where is the outrage?
Read on and allow the stories on this site to increase your
awareness of sexual violence, its prevalence, and its horrifying reality.
Let them fuel your outrage.
And then turn your outrage into action to stop sexual violence!

Since
its creation in 1975, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) has
been at the forefront of the anti-sexual violence movement. PCAR has utilized
its voice to advance the rights of countless victims and to affect critical
change through its active role in public policy, education, and prevention.